Bleach Stories
by terrablaze
Summary: A bunch of Bleach one-shots using the themes from the 100 Theme Challenge. Features just about every genre from action to comedy to romance to friendship, to even the occasional angst or fluff. The pairings are just as varied as the genres, and range from romantic to friendship. Intro chapter first, then the one-shots begin!
1. Introduction

**A/N: Well fanfiction, it's been awhile. Gotta say, I missed it.**

**Anyway, one of my friends decided to do the 100 Theme Challenge for her drawings, and having looked at some of the prompts with her, ideas sort of started popping into my head. So I thought about doing it with Bleach because there are tons of character and pairings to choose from (meaning I wouldn't get bored of the same old characters every time) but doing all 100 themes would just take so long...**

**But I still have a bunch of one-shot ideas, so I decided to go ahead and publish them when I get the ideas or inspiration. So I have no idea how long this will be, but it'll just sort of be a bunch of Bleach one shots. Some'll be funny, serious, romantic, friendship-oriented, etc. They're one-shots, so they may be contradictory, or there may be references down the road. I don't know. It's the first chapter, gimme a break! I just thought people might enjoy the occasional Bleach one-shot. **

**The chapter titles will be the themes that inspired me for the most part, in case anyone's curious. That is both because people could find it interesting to know what theme I used, but really it's more because I am awful at coming up with titles. Seriously, I apologize for how God-awful I am at coming up with titles. **

**Lastly, I don't own Bleach, the characters, or anything. Just the plot I come up with. **

**Enjoy! **

**~T**

**Introduction**

_Karakura Town, 2:15 p.m._

A faint beeping sounded throughout the classroom, but only four students lifted their heads. They were in the middle of a rather important exam, but luckily for the rest of the class, they were the only four that would be able to hear the beeping.

A nerdy-looking boy in the front of the class turned back to glare at the spiky orange haired kid sitting behind him. His eyes seemed to say, _hey Ichigo, do you plan on turning that thing off? _

Ichigo sighed. Just his luck. A Hollow _would_ decide to attack in the middle of a test. Nodding back to Uryu, he made eye contact with Chad and Orihime, the only other two who could hear the beeping, and stood.

"Is there a problem, Ichigo?" his teacher asked as he made his way for the door.

"I, uh, don't feel well."

The other three looked at each other. They waited a total of thirty seconds before they stood up and rushed for the door as well.

"Where are you three going?" the teacher called after them.

"Bathroom."

"Bathroom."

"…Bathroom."

A brown-haired kid stood up. "I have to go the bath—ah!"

"Oh no you don't Keigo," the teacher said exasperatedly. "You can sit right back down and finish your test."

* * *

_Squad 10, Soul Society_

"MATSUMOTO!"

The small, white-haired captain groaned as he walked into their shared office. The place was a mess. He didn't know how he was supposed to find anything with all the junk and empty sake bottles lying around.

Hitsugaya couldn't help but groan when he looked over at his lieutenant's desk. A mound of paperwork—that was probably taller than him, even though he'd never admit it—sat untouched.

"Matsumoto!" he said again, somewhat angrily.

He got no response, but he heard some stirring from the couch. Hitsugaya walked around so he was standing in front of the sleeping strawberry blonde, and crossed his arms.

She was lying on her side, her hair spilling out all around her. Some of it obscured her face, but not enough so that her captain couldn't see the mascara smudges that were the telltale signs that she'd cried herself to sleep again.

Sighing, Hitsugaya walked over to her desk. Picking up her paperwork, he transported it over to his own desk—something he'd found himself doing a lot lately.

Working quickly and efficiently, it only took him a couple hours more than it normally would for him to do just his own amount of the paperwork. Letting out another sigh—that was another thing he found himself doing a lot lately—he turned out the lights and started to leave for his own quarters. Pausing, he shrugged off his captain's haori and draped it over his sleeping lieutenant.

"Rangiku," he breathed.

* * *

_Soul Society, a random bar_

"Oh my God thish food is delicious," Hisagi said.

Fellow lieutenants Hinamori and Kira leaned back and grimaced as their friend spit food out of his mouth.

"Maybe you should swallow first, before you try talking," Kira muttered.

A huge grin started spreading across his best friends face, and the blonde shinigami rolled his eyes—or at least, the one that was visible.

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

"Um, guys?" the small brown-haired girl asked. "Where's Renji? Wouldn't he normally come eat with us?"

"Yeah," Hisagi said, "but I'm pretty sure I remember him saying he had to go to some Kuchiki family dinner or something."

His companions grimaced.

"Maybe it won't be that bad," Hinamori said, although she didn't sound like she believed it.

"So I take it Rukia invited him then?" Kira asked.

Hisagi nodded. "And then apparently Captain Kuchiki also reminded him to come."

"Really?" Hinamori said, her face lighting up. "That's great! I mean, we all know how in love he is with Rukia, and how badly he wants to surpass Captain Kuchiki! And now it's like he's a part of their big family!"

"Yeah, their big dysfunctional family," Kira muttered to Hisagi.

They laughed and turned back to their food and drinks, wondering what their red-haired friend was doing at that moment.

* * *

_Kuchiki Mansion _

Renji stared at the site in front of him. Never in his life had he faced a greater dilemma than this. He wanted to turn to the girl next to him and ask her what he should do, but no one else at the table was talking.

He guessed he should've figured it would be a silent meal. After all, it was a big Kuchiki family reunion dinner. No wonder Rukia had wanted him to come. And his captain, too. The rest of these people at the table made Byakuya seem like a chatterbox.

He looked around, grimacing, and hoping that someone would inadvertently show him what to do. Unfortunately for him, no one did, so he returned his gaze to his plate.

_Who the hell uses two forks anyway? _Renji asked himself.

Rukia kept sneaking glances at Renji from the corner of her eye. She knew it would be mean, but she couldn't help it. She loved messing with him.

Making sure no one's eyes were on her, she took a tiny part of her salad and flicked it at her best friend. Renji started, then quickly glanced around to make sure no one had noticed. Rukia snickered into her napkin beside him, and Renji made a mental note to pay her back later.

There was a slight throat clearing next to them, and they looked over to see Byakuya Kuchiki looking at them out of the corner of his eye. Rukia and Renji made a face at each other before turning back to their food, but not before Renji swore he saw the corner of his captain's mouth twitch upward into a barely visible smile.

Even Byakuya Kuchiki was allowed to think these dinners were boring, he supposed.

* * *

_Urahara Shop, 12:30 a.m._

"Well, Kisuke, that sure was interesting," Yoruichi said with a sly grin, tucking a stray strand of purple hair behind her ear.

Urahara returned her smile with one of his own. His eyes, which were only visible because his hat had been discarded and tossed to the floor, shone bright in the moonlight.

"You certainly haven't lost your touch either," he smirked.

Suddenly the pair heard footsteps running toward Urahara's room. There was a loud knock on the door, and before Urahara could say anything, it swung open.

The shopkeeper froze as his young red-headed employee, Jinta, came into the room.

"Uhhhhh," he said, realizing that he had nothing but a bed sheet wrapped around himself. "I promise I can explain. This definitely isn't what it looks like."

Jinta just stared at him with a strange expression. Urahara decided it was a mix between shock and worry.

"Boss…" Jinta started slowly, "what were doing in here with that cat?"


	2. Nature's Fury

**~A/N: So I don't want to do a long one of ****these at the beginning of every chapter, but just a few more quick points. I can't usually write straight up fluff or romance without any sort of extended plot, but I'm always willing to try in a one-shot. So if that's what you'd like, shoot me a message or drop it in a review. **

**Pairings I'll probably use: HitsuMatsu (which is probly my Bleach OTP, although I do like HitsuKarin and to an extent, GinRan-but I also think Gin makes a great villain for any story involving Ran with someone else), RenRuki, UraYoru, IshiHime, Hisagi/Kira, Yumi/Ikkaku, KenUno, ShunNao, Kenpachi/Yachiru doing adorable father/daughter things... eh, I'm probly forgetting some but whatever. They'll show up if I get inspired. **

**Sometimes the pairings will be just as friends. Especially if it involves Ichigo. I can see the appeal of IchiRuki (in fact, I used to ship it, now I like RenRuki, but I do occasionally find myself reverting back a little. DARN YOU FANFICTION) but for the most part I just don't see Ichigo with anyone. I dunno, he's like the ultimate friend-zone I guess... I'm 100% not a fan of IchiHime though. I don't dislike Orihime or Ichigo (I actually really like both characters) I just dislike the pairing for some reason and I don't think I could write it. **

**But I'm open to trying other pairings, so if there's something you want to see let me know and I will definitely take it into consideration. **

**Nature's Fury**

"How the hell do I always get roped into this stuff?" Ichigo Kurosaki asked grumpily as he pounded another stake into the ground. Finally satisfied that it wouldn't come up again, he stepped back to look at his handiwork.

His side of the tent was standing, which was better than he could say for the others.

"Will you stop pulling that side so hard, pineapple head?" Ikkaku growled.

"You're the one who's pulling too hard, baldy," Renji spat back.

"What did you say?" Ikkaku asked, jumping to his feet and completely letting go of his stake. "Why don't you come over here and say that?"

"Okay, maybe I will!" Renji jumped to his feet as well, and the already lopsided tent collapsed completely to the ground.

"Ugh, will you two stop this pointless bickering already, it's giving me a headache. And it makes you both look ugly," Yumichika pouted, rubbing his head.

"Well, _sor-ry _if we upset the princess," Renji grouched, rolling his eyes at the feathered man and stalking off to see how Hisagi and Kira were faring putting up their tent. He frowned when he realized the two had finished a while ago and had been drinking with the girls ever since.

Ikkaku, on the other hand, seemed personally offended by Yumichika's words. Yumichika, seeing his best friend's apparent discomfort, was taken aback.

"I...uh…" he stammered, not realizing he had actually hurt Ikkaku's feelings. "You know I didn't mean it, Ikkaku."

"Ooookay," Ichigo said, turning away from the scene and walking over to where all the other shinigami were drinking. "I can tell this is going to be a long trip."

* * *

"_Ichigo! Hey! Ichigo!"_

"_What, Rukia?" the orange-haired substitute shinigami asked exasperatedly. _

"_Can we go camping?"_

"_What?" Ichigo almost spit his drink out. "Camping? Why do you want to go camping?"_

"_Oh, well, I read it in one of my books and I thought it sounded like a lot of fun." She shuffled back and forth and kicked her foot against the ground nervously. Ichigo could tell she wasn't giving him the full story. _

"_Well, all right. I suppose it couldn't hurt…"_

"_Yay!" Rukia jumped into the air. "I'll go let everyone know!"_

_Before her words had a chance to register, Rukia had disappeared in a flash. _

"_E—everyone?" Ichigo said, his eye twitching. "Wait! Rukia! Just who the heck have you invited to go on this trip?!"_

* * *

And that was how Ichigo Kurosaki, a 15-year-old high school student/substitute shinigami, had gotten suckered into taking 10 shinigamis on a camping trip to the world of the living. At least Rukia had invited Orihime to come along so someone else besides him would know what was going on.

Ichigo realized he really should have thought about his previous statement before he decided to look at what the girls—and Hisagi—were cooking.

"I—is this what you were asking for, Rangiku?" Kira asked, handing the strawberry-blonde some sort of plant that did not look edible. Rukia and Hinamori, who were standing off to the side and seemed to be letting the other two women do the 'cooking,' grimaced.

"Mm…" Rangiku Matsumoto trailed off. "Orihime, does this look right to you?"

"You mean you don't even know what you asked me to get?!" Kira exclaimed. Ichigo had to admit, that was more life than he'd seen out of the blonde shinigami since…well, probably ever.

"Looks perfect!" Orihime said, taking the plant from Kira.

"Good work!" Matsumoto said happily, pulling the unsuspecting Kira into one of her infamous hugs.

Ichigo grimaced. He'd been on the receiving end of one of her…surprise attacks…when he said he'd take them camping. It hadn't been a pleasant experience.

At least he wasn't usually the one on the receiving end of her hugs. No, normally that was her short, white-haired captain. And speaking of…

Ichigo turned to where the small, grumpy captain was sitting. Next to him sat Byakuya Kuchiki, a taller, grumpier, captain. Ichigo couldn't help the smirk that came to his face.

The two captains had been roped into coming along by their respective lieutenants, and while he wasn't necessarily all that surprised that Hitsugaya had come—it was pretty well-known that the Squad 10 duo would do just about anything for each other—he was surprised Byakuya had agreed to come. Camping didn't seem like an activity a noble would enjoy. Ichigo figured Rukia must have gotten involved in the asking. He knew Byakuya was a softie when his lieutenant and younger sister ganged up on him.

"So," Ichigo said, settling down across from the two captains. "How's your first camping experience coming?"

Toshiro Hitsugaya grunted, but the substitute shinigami could tell that there was amusement in his teal colored eyes. Byakuya Kuchiki on the other hand…

"I do not understand why my lieutenant and sister begged me to come on this so-called 'vacation.' I can think of many other places I would rather go if I were going to take time off. For instance…"

"Yeah, yeah, we know, some place with some cherry blossoms for you to gaze at boringly for hours on end," Ichigo said, rolling his eyes. "I can see why Renji and Rukia made you come. Hey speaking of? Where did Rukia run off too?"

"She and Momo went looking for flowers, or something like that," Hitsugaya said, nodding toward the forest behind them.

Ichigo smiled. So _that _was the real reason the two captains were sitting so far away from camp. Not because they were antisocial—well, actually, that could've had something to do with it too—but because their adoptive sisters were out frolicking about and they couldn't bring themselves to be too far away.

"You guys know you don't need to worry so much. They'll be fine. Besides, it's not like anything bad is going to ha—"

He was cut off by a loud crashing sound behind them. Both captains were instantly on their feet, zanpakutos drawn and ready. The chatter from camp instantly stopped, and the whole place had a sort of eerie vibe to it.

"_Stop that! I said to grab it there?"_

"_Here?"_

"_NO! There you idiot!"_

"Rukia?" Ichigo asked, recognizing the bossier of the two voices. Idiot was a term she used often to describe him. Probably daily. Or hourly. He'd stopped keeping track.

Two similar-looking heads of dark hair popped out of the trees.

"Ichigo! Captain Hitsugaya! Byakuya! There's nothing to worry about here, nothing to see. Just, ah, go back to whatever you were doing. Lieutenant Hinamori and I are fine, right Hinamori?"

The brunette girl didn't say anything until Rukia nudged her in the ribs. "Hm? Oh! Right! Yes, there's nothing to worry about. We'll be back in a few minutes. Just, um, carry on! Ha ha…ha."

With that the two girls popped back out of sight as quickly as they came. The captains looked like they wanted to do something, but Ichigo just sat down and sighed.

"I wouldn't bother. Knowing those two they've got some sort of surprise planned, and there'd really be no point in trying to spring it."

"Ichigo has a point," Hitsugaya sighed, settling back down onto the log he'd been perched on earlier and sheathing Hyourinmaru.

Byakuya remained standing for a few moments longer, but eventually seemed to heed the younger captain's words. He returned to sitting silently beside the white-haired prodigy.

When it became clear that neither was going to make any sort of conversation, Ichigo decided he would go back and see how the cooking was coming. Considering it was Matsumoto and Orihime cooking, he felt he had valid reason to be concerned. His concerned lessened—albeit only slightly—when he heard Hisagi nix a few of the pair's more eccentric ingredients.

"Um I really don't think we should be using that Orihime?"

"Aw, why not?" the girl pouted.

"Because it's dirt," the punk-looking shinigami said plainly.

"Oh."

Ichigo shook his head. He'd know it was going to be a long day when he agreed to take the shinigami camping, he just hadn't realized _how _long it was going to be.

"Hey! Orihime!" Rukia called from the forest. "We got the meat!"

"_What?!" _Ichigo yelled, turning around to see Rukia and Hinamori dragging what looked like a 300-400 pound bear out of the woods.

"_You guys killed that thing?" _he asked, his eyes almost bugging out of his head as he ran to stand by the captains. Hitsugaya wore a similar expression on his face, but Byakuya looked unphased.

"I fail to see what the problem is," the silky-haired captain is.

"_You've gotta be kidding me! That thing's like a 600 pound bear why the hell were they fighting it in the first place are you telling me this doesn't bother you _at all_?"_

Byakuya just fixed him with one of his signature Byakuya stares until Ichigo sighed.

"Fine whatever."

In the meantime, Rukia and Hinamori had dragged the bear corpse over to the three cooks.

"You're not telling me we're actually going to eat that, are you?" Renji asked from where he, Ikkaku, and now Yumichika were still trying to unsuccessfully put up their tent.

For a response, he got a rock to the face.

"Ow!" he yelled, causing him to drop his stake and ruin the first actual progress the trio had been making on the tent. "What was that for Rukia?"

"For being an idiot!" she replied. "Here you guys go."

"Great!" Matsumoto exclaimed. "Hey Kira, would you mind cutting that thing up for us so we can make some soup."

"Um, sure," the blonde shinigami said hesitantly, suddenly unsure if he had any appetite.

"There's no way I'm eating that," Ichigo mumbled to no one in particular before turning to notice Hitsugaya had gotten a funny expression on his face.

"Hey Toshiro, what's up with your face?"

"It's CAPTAIN HITSUGAYA and I was just remembering the last time I ate your friend's and Matsumoto's cooking."

"Oh," Ichigo nodded knowingly. "And how did that turn out for you."

"What do you think?"

* * *

A couple hours later, all twelve of them were sitting around a campfire, eating what they hoped could be considered dinner. Hitsugaya had actually tried to sneak away before they could feed him, but Matsumoto had pulled him down next to her and threatened to feed him like a little kid in front of everyone if he didn't try her food. And Orihime and Hisagi had looked so pitiful that he'd actually let himself be goaded into doing it.

_Softie, _Ichigo thought with a smirk.

He, on the other hand, had ended up in the unfortunate position between Ikkaku and Yumichika, who were arguing over him about something so ridiculous that he'd forgotten what it was.

"So? How is it?" Hisagi asked nervously to Kira, who was sitting next to him.

"Um. It's…great," Kira managed, glad for once that he never smiled, since it meant he wouldn't have to force on onto his face to convince his friend the crap he was eating could actually be considered food. Hisagi had worked so hard and was so proud that Kira didn't want to ruin the moment.

A big grin lit up his friends face and he knew the lie had been worth it. Now, if only Hisagi would look away for a moment so he could dump some of this stuff out…

_Crack! BOOM!_

All of the shinigami were instantly on their feet, looking around for danger. Only Ichigo and Orihime remained sitting.

Suddenly a fat raindrop plopped onto Ichigo's forehead.

"Aw man, just my luck. This would happen to me," he grumbled. "All right, everyone in their tents. Looks like it's going to rain!"

The four girls rushed inside the large tent they were sharing, while Hisagi and Kira hurried off into the one they'd assembled earlier, followed closely by the captains.

"Um…" Ikkaku trailed off. "We never did figure out how to put ours up.

"And now my hair is ruined. I hate you all," Yumichika pouted. "I should never have let you talk me into coming, Ikkaku."

"Talk you into it? You're the one who talked me into coming! You were so excited! You wouldn't shut up about it for _weeks._"

"Enough arguing!" Ichigo moaned. "Hurry up and get that tent put up before it starts really pouring."

It was too late. Renji and Ichigo, still caught out in the rain, looked at each other before sprinting off as fast as they could for the boys' tent, which they knew would only fit one more of them.

"Ha! I win again!" Ichigo yelled victoriously as he dove into the tent seconds before Renji.

"Jeez Renji, have you ever won anything?" Hisagi asked, poking his head out of the tent underneath Ichigo's.

"Just shut up and let me in," Renji complained.

"Nope, the instructions say there's barely room for five people standing."

Ichigo considered pointing out that there were no such instructions, but he didn't really want to be smashed any more than he already was.

"But that's five full grown!" Renji whined. "Captain Hitsugaya hardly counts!"

The temperature outside seemed to drop thirty degrees.

"What was that Abarai?" an icy voice said, accompanied by a shock of icy hair popping out under Hisagi.

"Nothing, Captain Hitsugaya, sir. I'll just go sit in the rain now."

Ichigo and Hisagi were in full-on hysterics, and even Byakuya and Kira couldn't help but crack a smile as the glum redhead went and sat next to the bickering Squad 11 duo.

"Aw cheer up, Renji!" Rukia yelled from the safety of her tent. "You're ex-Squad 11, you should be able to handle it."

Renji mumbled something that sounded not so complimentary, so Rukia threw another rock at him.

"Hey! You didn't even hear what I said! How do you know it was something that deserved rock throwing?"

"Because I know _you. _Duh!" the dark-haired girl laughed.

"Idiot," Renji muttered, careful this time not to be overheard.

* * *

Luckily the rainstorm was short-lived so the group was able to sit outside for a bit longer, talking and looking at the stars before they all mutually decided it was time for bed.

The girls owned the biggest tent, so they all bade the boys goodnight and headed to their spot on the other side of the campsite. If their previous tent experience was any indication, the male shinigami knew that they weren't all going to fit in that tiny tent.

With a quick glance at each other, Hisagi and Kira sprinted off to the first tent, saying something about how they had dibs since they'd put it up. Renji and Ichigo watched them go, not knowing that Ikkaku and Yumichika had taken that moment to steal the other tent.

They looked at each other, unsure of what to do.

"So…" Ichigo started awkwardly.

"Yeah, I don't know if I really want to be in a tent with Hisagi and Kira either," Renji said. "Maybe it's best we let those two do their own…thing."

Ichigo looked at their other option. "Are Ikkaku and Yumichika really that much better?"

Renji paused for a moment.

"We really need to think about how we pair off better," Ichigo sighed.

Renji nodded. "Well, in this case, I think Ikkaku and Yumichika are our best bet. You guys can share a tent with the other two," he said to the captains.

"I am a noble. Nobles do not sleep in tents," Byakuya said, sauntering over to a clearing.

"What is he..?" Ichigo started.

"Scatter, senbonzakura." Cherry blossoms scattered around the captain, and before anyone realized what was going on, logs started falling from trees, forming a perfect shack.

"How does he _do _that?" Ichigo asked the heavens, as if he were going to get some sort of divine answer.

"Ooh, Captain! If you don't have a place to sleep you can stay with us!" Matsumoto exclaimed, sticking her head out of the girls' tent. "There's plenty of room, and since you're so small you don't take up that much anyway! I brought an extra big sleeping bag, so we can share it!"

"Rangiku!" he said through gritted teeth.

"Aw, come on. Are you really going to just sit out there in the cold all night by yourself?"

"I happen to like the cold. I've got an ice-type zanpakuto, remember?"

"Well too bad, because you're sleeping here!" Matsumoto said, happily grabbing her captain in a hug and dragging him back in the tent.

"Matsumoto!" he said, struggling, but it was no use. Sometimes Rangiku Matsumoto was impossible to say no to.

"Heh," Renji snorted. "Lucky kid. Doesn't he know half the Soul Society would give a lot of money to be where he is right now?"

"I'm pretty sure more than half my high school would do," Ichigo grumbled. "Come on, let's get some sleep. It's been a long day."

It had been a long day, but even Ichigo Kurosaki would be the first to admit that it had been fun.


	3. Complicated

**Complicated**

She blamed it all on Gin, like she normally did, even when things weren't entirely his fault.

Except this time, she was sure it actually _was _his fault.

He'd gone and left her, betrayed the Gotei 13 and turned evil, betrayed Aizen and turned good again, and then he'd gone and died on her. It was all _his_ fault she was so messed up right now.

Because Rangiku Matsumoto didn't cry over anyone, and she certainly didn't let anyone screw with her feelings.

She felt alone, something that was strange to her. Because really, she'd been alone ever since Gin had decided to become a shinigami that day.

'So you won't have to cry anymore,' he'd said.

Matsumoto snorted into her bottle of sake. _Yeah, that one worked out well in the end, didn't it, Gin? _

Somewhere deep down, she knew that it wasn't entirely his fault. Sure he'd never gotten to speak the words, but she'd known the intent was there. She'd known what he was trying to do.

Contrary to what she let people believe, Rangiku Matsumoto remembered everything Aizen and his men had done to her that day. But she would never, _could never, _let Gin know that. Deep down, she thought she always knew Gin would try to avenge her, and she kept her own knowledge of the situation a secret just so he would stick around longer.

She really should have known it would be futile.

And she really should have known what Gin was planning.

_And she should have stopped him. _

The thought haunted her, striking her conscious from out of the dark recesses of her mind whenever she was alone and her thoughts were allowed to wander.

Matsumoto had actually taken to doing her paperwork and the majority of her captain's share because it was a way to keep the thoughts away. If the rest of Squad 10 had noticed, they didn't say anything.

And it was better that way. Matsumoto preferred to hide her true feelings behind her bubbly personality. She could give off the impression of being close to someone while in reality she was keeping them at arm's length.

She had mastered the art of never being on her own while still being completely alone.

It was one gift Gin had left her with. But he'd also been the one to take it away.

The rest of the Soul Society may have condemned him as a traitor, and while Rangiku wouldn't have hesitated to raise her sword against him, she still could never completely bring herself to hate him—or to consider him her enemy.

Sighing, she lay back on the couch and draped an arm over her eyes, as if she could block out the world that way. It was about that time of night when her hangover would start, and she figured she would just sleep it off in the office again.

Matsumoto allowed herself a slight smile. Some things would never change no matter what.

She had likely dozed off, because the next thing she knew, the door to the office was creaking shut. Funny, she hadn't even heard it open. If it had been an enemy entering, she would have been dead—a mistake that the lieutenant didn't normally make. She must have been more exhausted than she'd thought.

But the spiritual pressure was one that she was in tune with almost as much as Gin's. Toshiro Hitsugaya. Her small, adorable, and fiercely loyal captain.

She closed her eyes and feigned sleep when she sensed him walk over to the couch. He'd do this sometimes, she realized. Come into the room in the middle of the night to check on her.

_Probably to make sure I don't pass out and choke on my own vomit. I bet the paperwork he'd have to fill out if that happened would take weeks! _

Matsumoto almost forgot to breathe evenly as Hitsugaya leaned over the couch and looked down at her.

_He probably thinks I'm the laziest, wimpiest, and overall worst lieutenant ever. _

He sighed. "I'm sorry," he whispered, so lightly Matsumoto wasn't sure at first if he'd actually spoken. "I'm sorry _he _made you feel like this."

She hated Gin in that moment, for how he made her feel, but it wasn't for the reasons she'd originally thought. She hated him not for leaving, but for showing her what it felt like to love and be loved.

Because now that was all she could think about when she was around her captain.

And that was making things a little too complicated.


End file.
